Let the warrant roundup begin

Here we go again. Amarillo and county law enforcement authorities are hitting the streets in search of those who just cannot find the time or inclination to pay their lawful fines.

You have to hand it to the gall of those who simply refuse to pay the fine. It’s as if they seemingly see themselves as being above the law, right? Well, they would deny it. But what difference does it make?

Police issue citations for lawbreakers, who then have the option of appearing in court to appeal the fine — or simply to pay the fine and go on down the road.

Amarillo Municipal Court officials say the city has about 39,000 outstanding warrants. Court Administrator Victoria Medley estimates the value of the warrants at about $11 million. Imagine if the city were able to collect all that cash.

The roundup will begin Saturday and will last one week.

Police have issued the appropriate warnings to those with the delinquent warrants. The cops will barge into your place of employment, issue an arrest warrant and haul you off. That’s an unfriendly intrusion into one’s workday, correct?

But those who may be targeted by Amarillo police, and Randall and Potter County sheriff’s deputies can avoid the embarrassment simply by paying the fine.

It really shouldn’t come to this. Sadly, human nature by definition produces mistakes. Still, authorities who issue lawful penalties for those who break the law — no matter how minor the infraction — have a job to do.

It falls on the recipients of those citations to make it right.

And if they can’t act — or simply refuse to comply — then it falls on the authorities to force the issue.